Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

The Noise Susceptibility Of Various Speech Bands, Sarah E. Yoho Leopold, Frédéric Apoux, Eric W. Healy

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

The degrading influence of noise on various critical bands of speech was assessed. A modified version of the compound method [Apoux and Healy (2012) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 132, 1078–1087] was employed to establish this noise susceptibility for each speech band. Noise was added to the target speech band at various signal-to-noise ratios to determine the amount of noise required to reduce the contribution of that band by 50%. It was found that noise susceptibility is not equal across the speech spectrum, as is commonly assumed and incorporated into modern indexes. Instead, the signal-to-noise ratio required to equivalently impact …

Assessment For Mild Cognitive Impairment: Striving For Best Practice, Julie Leigh Dalmasso

Dissertations

This dissertation is a series of three studies aimed at determining the best assessment practices for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that can employed by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The first study was non-experimental and descriptive examining whether three commonly used assessment instruments yielded similar categorical results. The data were analyzed to determine whether the Eight-Item Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia (AD8), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Cognitive-Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) identified the same participants from a neurotypical sample as having cognitive deficits. Very little agreement was found amongst the three tools.

Study two was modified to include two …

A Vowel Perceptual Analysis Of Four Regional Dialects Of Louisiana, Lauren De Mahy

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Language Profiles Of Children Who Have Experienced Complex Trauma And Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Christel G. Ciolino

Masters Theses

Children who experience maltreatment and children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have similar neurological differences and are at risk for language impairments. However, limited research has been conducted to analyze their specific skill sets. To address this limitation, retrospective data from the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center of Southwest Michigan were analyzed. The linguistic profiles of 79 children with histories of varying numbers of traumatic experiences and comorbid FASD statues are compared in the areas of semantics, syntax, pragmatics, and social communication. Individuals had high pass rates on the CELF-5 Screening Test and high overall scores on the Pragmatic Protocol-Revised …

Home Literacy Of Dual-Language Learners In Kindergarten From Low-Ses Backgrounds, Carla Wood, Lisa Fitton, Estrella Rodriguez

Faculty Publications

This study aimed to describe home literacy (HL) activities of Spanish-/English-speaking children of low–socioeconomic status backgrounds and examine the relationship between HL and performance on standardized assessments. Parents of 65 dual-language learners (DLLs) in kindergarten completed an HL questionnaire. Parents reported an average of 17 books at home and engaged in active HL activities for 24 minutes a day on average. The relations between HL activities and performance were evaluated using correlations and regression. Analyses revealed a significant relation between HL and children’s language abilities, as measured by a bilingual measure of morphosyntax and semantics. Children’s reported interest in reading …

Evidence Based Approaches To Improving The Course Of Recovery Following Brain Injury, Courtney M. Andrews

ETSU Faculty Works

• Define the steps associated with implementation of evidence based practice.
• Describe barriers and solutions to implementation of evidence based practice in various work environments.
• Describe elements of evidence based practice as it relates to all phases of recovery from a brain injury.

Using Video Self-Modeling To Improve Reading Fluency In School Aged Children With Specific Learning Disabilities, Chelsea Nicole Ollar

Theses and Dissertations

Effective reading interventions for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are needed. A multiprobe multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of a video self-modeling intervention (VSM) on reading fluency skills. The VSM interventions effects on self-efficacy were also measured. Four male middle school students with SLD watched a pre-recorded video of themselves reading a passage fluently and were then asked to read another passage. Words correct per minute (WCPM) and accuracy data were taken. Results showed that students read significantly more words correct when they watched themselves read the same passage they were about to …

The Nature Of Child Engagement And Teacher-Child Interactions Within Stem-Based Instruction In Preschool Classrooms, Hayley Ann Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

While educators and speech-language pathologists have been found to utilize informational texts far less than fictional texts when working with young children, informational texts can support young children's academic and language development. This study qualitatively analyzed how children engaged in informationally-based activities and how instructors interacted with children to support their engagement and learning. Fifty-three children from 4 Head Start classrooms participated in small and large group STEM-based instructional activities for 2 days each across 2 weeks. The instructional unit related to how plants grow and how they are used for food. The researchers reviewed and transcribed video recordings and …

Measuring The Reliability Of The Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition, Garrett Frane Wilkes

Theses and Dissertations

During the past several years, the Common Core State Standards has created a greater demand for students in public schools to comprehend and analyze expository text. In order to prepare students for work with expository text, beginning with kindergarten, more emphasis and standards have become prevalent in preschool classrooms as well. The Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition (EECA R-3) was developed to aid preschool teachers in determining what aspects of expository text a student understands, including recognition of different structure types. This study with the EECA R-3 extends previous studies using earlier iterations of the assessment. One hundred …

The Effects Of A Social Communication Intervention On The Correct Production Of Emotion Words For Children With Language Impairment, Julia Vincent Hetherton

Theses and Dissertations

Many school-age children with language impairment (LI) have difficulties with aspects of social and emotional learning. This study was structured to evaluate one aspect of the effectiveness of a social communication intervention, the appropriate production of emotion words. Four school-aged children with LI participated in 20 sessions of story-based intervention targeting understanding and usage of emotion-based words. Emotions targeted included the emotion word categories of happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust. Because the knowledge of the emotion word categories varied from child to child, each child had different target words. The percentage of correct production of targeted emotion …

A Survey Of Perceptions And Professional Boundaries Between Music Therapy And Speech-Language Pathology, Jennifer Rose Fromius

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between music therapists and speech-language pathologists in order to gain a better understanding of professional boundaries within each profession, frequency of co-treatment between the two professions, and perceptions of referral in clinical practice. Data for this research were collected through two online questionnaires with parallel sets of questions, which were distributed to a sample of boardcertified music therapists (MT-BC) and speech-language pathologists (CCC-SLP). Quantitative and qualitative data collected from the survey (N= 283; n = 45 MT-BC, n = 238 CCC-SLP) are analyzed to determine if there are correlations and …

Development Of An Audiologic Rehabilitation Program Model For Adult Patients Receiving Care At A Graduate Training Facility, Amanda Mcfadden, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Research has shown that untreated hearing loss can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. The average person with hearing loss waits seven years from the onset of symptoms to pursue hearing aids (Hall, 2014). To decrease the negative effects of hearing loss, hearing technology, by itself, is typically not enough support for even the best users (Kelly et al., 2013). To provide supplementary support for these patients, audiologic rehabilitation (AR) is required. Audiologic rehabilitation is the modern term used to classify treatments that were previously so- called “aural rehabilitation.” Per Boothroyd (2007), aural [audiologic] rehabilitation may be defined as, …

Effects Of Larynx Preservation Method On Phonation Threshold Flow In An Excised Porcine Benchtop Model, Emily Huber Webster

Theses and Dissertations

An excised animal larynx model has been used in many studies to better understand the physiological and anatomical properties of the human larynx. One difference between an ex vivo model and an in vivo model is that ion loss occurs postmortem. To compensate for this in the excised model, researchers most commonly use a preservation method that includes completely submerging the specimen in isotonic saline (0.9% Na+Cl-) and then flash freezing it in liquid nitrogen. The flash freezing method allows researchers to maintain the integrity of the structures while also being able to gather specimens as they become available. Not …

The Association Between Articulator Movement And Formant Histories In Diphthongs Across Speaking Contexts, Janae Valyn Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of context on the association between formant trajectories and tongue and lip kinematics in the American English diphthongs /aɪ/ and /aʊ/. Seventeen native speakers of American English had electromagnetic sensors placed on their tongue and lips to record kinematic signals that were time-aligned with the corresponding acoustic recording. Speakers produced the diphthongs in isolation, in a single word rVl context, in a phrase hVd context, and in a sentence context. Kinematic data and the F1 and F2 trajectories were extracted from the middle 50% of each diphthong production. To allow direct comparison of signals with …

Perceptual Proficiency Ratings Of Obstruent Productions In L2 Learners Of English As A Function Of Speech Task Type, Word Position, And Listener Expertise, Rachel Mcpherson Zitting

Theses and Dissertations

Second language (L2) learners of English must learn to produce English phonemes, words, and sentences. These L2 learners make many errors when learning English; they may change the place or manner of articulation, insert vowels, or delete consonants. Obstruent sounds, such as fricatives, affricates, and stops, can be especially difficult for L2 learners. This study analyzed native English speakers’ perception of the quality of obstruents produced by native Mandarin Chinese and Korean speakers. Target words containing obstruents had been produced in three different tasks: in a carrier phrase, in a paragraph, and in a spontaneous speech sample. Obstruents were produced …

Alternating Treatments For Idiom Interpretation By Children With Specific Language Impairments, Monique S. Kaye

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of two idiom interventions by students with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Idioms are linguistic expressions that have figurative meanings other than their literal interpretation. There is a strong correlation between idiom interpretation and academic success (Nippold & Martin, 1989). Students are exposed to idioms in media, in school, literature, and in daily interactions with peers and adults (Nippold, Moran, & Schwarz, 2001).Method: Three school-aged students (n=3) with SLI ages 11;9–13;8 (mean age = 12;8) were provided a language intervention for idioms embedded in stories with pictures (n=10) …

We Are The Medicine, Madalynn Wendland, Toni Speed

Interprofessional Education

We are all healers— to ourselves, each other and the world around us. Whether you are on the path of becoming a health professional, or have been in practice for a long time, this half-day workshop will help you to view healing from a holistic perspective that draws from the ancient traditions while respecting contemporary science.

Early Uneven Ear Input Induces Long-Lasting Differences In Left-Right Motor Function, Michelle W. Antoine, Xiaoxia Zhu, Marianne Dieterich, Thomas Brandt, Sarath Vijayakumar, Nicholas Mckeehan, Joseph C. Arezzo, R. Suzanne Zukin, David A. Borkholder, Sherri M. Jones, Robert D. Frisina, Jean M. Hébert

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

How asymmetries in motor behavior become established normally or atypically in mammals remains unclear. An established model for motor asymmetry that is conserved across mammals can be obtained by experimentally inducing asymmetric striatal dopamine activity. However, the factors that can cause motor asymmetries in the absence of experimental manipulations to the brain remain unknown. Here, we show that mice with inner ear dysfunction display a robust left or right rotational preference, and this motor preference reflects an atypical asymmetry in cortico-striatal neurotransmission. By unilaterally targeting striatal activity with an antagonist of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), a downstream integrator of striatal …

A Speed-Based Approach To Vestibular Rehabilitation For Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: A Retrospective Chart Review, Robert Alen Roller, Courtney D. Hall

ETSU Faculty Works

BACKGROUND: Current vestibular rehabilitation for peripheral vestibular hypofunction is an exercise-based approach that improves symptoms and function in most, but not all patients, and includes gaze stabilization exercises focused on duration of head movement. One factor that may impact rehabilitation outcomes is the speed of head movement during gaze stability exercises.

OBJECTIVE: Examine outcomes of modified VOR X1 exercises that emphasize a speed-based approach for gaze stabilization while omitting substitution and habituation exercises. Balance training focused on postural realignment and hip strategy performance during altered visual and somatosensory inputs.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 159 patients with vestibular deficits …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Microtia On Family's Decision Process, Alexandra Puatu

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

One in every 10,000 live births result in a facial anomaly called microtia, which affects the outer, visible part of the ear. This can have varying levels of severity, ranging from a smaller than average ear size (type one) to the complete absence of any external ear (type four). Families are presented with three options: surgery, hearing aids, or to allow the child to continue developing with no technological help. When families are presented with these options, the process tends to be stressful because of the added, unexpected decisions needed to be made on a family with a new member. …

An Early Childhood Expository Comprehension Measure: A Look At Validity, Marybeth Fillerup Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Many have argued for more informational text to be incorporated into the curriculum, even in the earliest grades. However, it has traditionally been thought that narrative text should precede informational text when introducing children to literacy. Still several studies have demonstrated that preschool children are capable of learning from these texts. Because informational texts are being introduced even in the earliest grades, preschool teachers are in need of ways to assess their students' ability to handle early forms of informational texts. The Early Expository Text Comprehension Assessment (EECA) was developed to help teachers understand the comprehension abilities of their preschool …

Effects Of Divided Attention On Speech In Parkinson's Disease, Melissa Inkley

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of divided attention on speech in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been studied for a variety of tasks in recent years. Much of the previous research studied gait patterns while participants concurrently performed another task. There have been few studies regarding the effects of divided attention on speech in individuals with PD. The ability to communicate effectively relies in part on an appropriate rate of speech, vocal intensity, and fundamental frequency control. This study included 27 participants: 8 with PD, 12 neurologically healthy older (HO) adults, and 7 healthy younger (HY) adults. Each participant was given a list of …

Native Mandarin Speakers' Production Of English Fricatives As A Function Of Linguistic Task Type And Word Position: A Spectral Moment Analysis, Lindsey Mccall Wing

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the phonetic production of fricatives across differing word positions and task types. Further knowledge about the fricative production of second language learners of English would potentially improve the ability to teach correct pronunciation and improve the productivity of second language programs. All participants in this study were native speakers of Mandarin Chinese with English as their second language. A total of 12 subjects participated, all of whom had English proficiency ratings ranging from novice to advanced. The speakers were between 21-51 years of age, with each speaker having between 2 to 6 …

The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Vocal Quality And Function With Self-Esteem In Older Adults, Victoria Berto

Theses and Dissertations

Alterations to the voice that occur in older adulthood include changes in vocal fold mass, inadequate approximation of the vocal folds, tremor, and air loss (Lundy, Silva, Casiano, Lu, & Xue, 1998). Many of the vocal changes that occur in older adults, those aged 65 and older (Colby & Ortman, 2015), may affect their social and emotional well-being. While some persons are not affected by life span vocal changes, others suffer from co-occuring depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal (Epstein, Hirani, Stygall, & Newman, 2009; Mirza, Ruiz, Baum, & Staab, 2003; Monini, Filippi, Baldini, & Barbara, 2015). There have been numerous …

Counseling Skill Development In Audiology: Clinical Supervision Considerations, Karen F. Muñoz

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

Audiologists play a critical role in supporting patients as they provide diagnostic information about their hearing and in the delivery of treatment services. Graduate training related to counseling, however, varies among programs in the extent students are prepared to engage effectively and intentionally with patients. Instruction is needed to provide students with a framework that supports their ability to learn and implement evidence-based counseling services. This article addresses the impact patients can experience when counseling gaps exist, shares clinical instruction strategies that can support students' acquisition of counseling skills, and discusses considerations for integration of counseling education into graduate training …

An Exploration Of High Level Language Comprehension Deficits And The Factors Influencing Them Following Blast Exposure In Afghanistan And Iraq War Veterans, Judith R. Koebli

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Our servicemen and women are facing challenges with reintegration into civilian life as noted by the high levels of homelessness, unemployment, and suicide. Behavioral aspects and PTSD have been the focus of these problems. There may be additional factors that negatively impact successful reintegration. There may be weaknesses in communication skills such as auditory processing deficits and higher-level language deficits secondary to blast exposure. Twelve veterans with history of blast exposure and six veteran controls were compared in areas of auditory processing, higher-level language skills (inferencing, ambiguity, figurative language), and attention, memory, and visual processing speed. Correlations with auditory processing …

Counseling In Audiology: Aud Students’ Perspectives And Experiences, John J. Whicker, Karen F. Muñoz, Jared C. Schultz

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

Counseling in audiology is an important aspect of service delivery. How audiologists interact with patients and foster counseling relationships to help patients and families understand and live with hearing loss can impact outcomes of audiological interventions. Currently, variability exists in how graduate training programs are teaching counseling skills, and the extent to which counseling skills development is supported in clinical experiences is unclear. This article seeks to explore the perspectives related to the importance of counseling and counseling training experiences received through clinical instruction of Au.D. students beginning their final year of study, to identify where counseling training might be …

Faculty Perspectives Of Student-Faculty Collaborative Course Design, Lauren H. Mead

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This qualitative research study explored speech-language pathology (SLP) faculty perspectives of collaborative course design (CCD). For the purposes of this study, the term “faculty” includes all those who teach at the university level. Student-faculty CCD offers benefits to course instructors and students; however, research regarding this topic is lacking in the field of SLP. Interviews with faculty members in SLP programs explored faculty perspectives regarding the incorporation of student input into course design as well as anticipated benefits and challenges involved. The results of this study identified several factors related to faculty reluctance to use CCD, including reluctance to share …

Aphasia Simulation: A Perspective From The Student And Standardized Patient, Suzanne Moineau, Deb Bennett, Alison Scheer-Cohen

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The aim of the current study was to examine student ability, student and standardized patient perceptions of competency, and student perceptions of effectiveness of simulation methodology for conducting language screenings on individuals with aphasia. Graduate students enrolled in a mandatory course on acquired language disorders (n = 36) completed a variety of simulated learning experiences using videos, high-fidelity manikins, and standardized patients, in preparing them for clinical practice with persons with aphasia. 5-point Likert scales and open-ended survey questions relating to student and standardized patients’ perceptions were administered. Results demonstrated a strong positive perception that simulation promotes student understanding of …

Pedagogical Education Practices In Communication Sciences And Disorders Phd Programs: A Pilot Study, Laura Smith-Olinde, Stanley K. Ellis

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to ascertain how research doctoral programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) characterize their own efforts to educate research doctoral students about teaching at the college/university level; and (2) whether and how programs introduce the “scholarship of teaching and learning” (SoTL) to PhD students. PhD program directors (N=69) were emailed a survey for descriptions of university teaching instruction and SoTL activities, with a 27.5% return rate (n=19). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used. Identified themes included, “course or seminar”, “experiential” and “required”. One hundred per cent of respondents offer teaching experiences and …